Red Bluff Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Red Bluff, California 96080
Sunday, January 6, 1991 18:35 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT WAS NORMAL UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE VOR APPROACH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THE PROCEDURE TURN AND WAS INBOUND TO THE VOR THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 1,300 FEET MSL (1,000 FEET AGL) AND THAT THE DESCENT RATE WAS STABALIZED AND WAS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE CROSSING RESTRICTION AT THE VOR. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE THEN SCANNED THE VOR NAVIGATION HEADS 'FOR A FEW SECONDS' TO CROSS CHECK THE AIRCRAFT POSITION ON THE APPROACH COURSE RADIAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO LEVEL TERRAIN ABOUT 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO DETECT A DESCENT BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THE APPROACH IN USE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City RED BLUFF
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96080
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RED BLUFF
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RBL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 150
Airport Elevation 403
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1851 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID RBL
Elevation of weather observation facility 403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 139
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43151
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66SL
NTSB Number LAX91LA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA 34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 34-8070038
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHASTA LIVESTOCK, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 558
Operator City COTTONWOOD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96022
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RDM
Departure City REDMOND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 5984
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --